Birth control shots linked to memory loss
Depo Provera, the hormonal birth control injection, supposedly offers a convenient alternative for women who don’t want to remember to…
Compelling evidence for autism-antidepressant link
Rodents exposed to a common serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant just before and after birth exhibited brain abnormalities and behaviors…
Scientists mull brain size-Facebook correlation
People with more Facebook friends have more grey matter in their brain, but University College London (UCL) scientists aren’t sure…
Software identifies psychopaths
Using computer software to analyze the speech patterns of psychopathic killers shows they make readily identifiable subconscious word choices when…
Immune system ruse nixes peanut allergy
For the first time, Northwestern University researchers have turned off a life-threatening allergic response to peanuts by tricking the immune…
Zinc’s role in the brain revealed
Researchers have discovered that zinc plays a critical role in regulating how the neurons in our brain communicate with one…
Single dose of magic mushrooms “may create lasting personality change”
After a single dose of the hallucinogen psilocybin, lasting personality changes in volunteers occurred that were larger in magnitude than…
Adolescent boys aspire to be average
An intriguing study that looked at male adolescence and body image found a prevailing view among boys that the pursuit…
Radiation’s bad rep a beat-up, controversial new research claims
University of Massachusetts toxicologist Edward Calabrese claims to have evidence that Nobel Prize winner Hermann Muller knowingly lied when he…
“It’s not all in the genes,” say epigenetic code-breakers
“Genes are not destiny,” say the Salk Institute scientists who have been delving into the epigenetic code that allows organisms…
MRI scans reveal diverse female sexual sensory palette
The notion that the clitoris is the major source of female genital sensation has been directly challenged after MRI brain…
Study confirms Pill’s memory altering effects
Women who use hormonal contraceptives such as the Pill experience memory changes where their ability to remember the detail surrounding…
Not all trans fats are created equal
Natural trans fats produced by ruminant animals such as dairy and beef cattle are not detrimental to health and in…
Switch hands for a healthier diet
Psychologists from the University of Southern California found that popcorn munching moviegoers ate about the same amount of popcorn regardless…
The harder they (don’t) cum
Findings from the largest-ever study of orgasmic and ejaculatory dysfunction suggest that orgasmic dysfunction could be as prevalent among men…
Antioxidants key to solving reproductive woes, say pharmacologists
A meta-study appearing in the journal Pharmacological Research suggests that antioxidants may be the key to overcoming a number of…
Is Mills and Boon derailing women’s health?
Writing in the Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care, pop-psychologist and agony aunt Susan Quilliam argues that idealized…
BPA exposure makes male animals “less desirable”
New experiments with the ubiquitous plastic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) show that it causes male deer mice to become demasculinized…
Artificial sweeteners contributing directly to diabetes risk
The findings from two new studies have prompted US health scientists to state that the promotion of diet sodas and…
Ovulation puts gaydar into overdrive
Women can more accurately identify a man’s sexual orientation when they are closest to their time of peak ovulation, say…
No link between age and testosterone levels
A new study from Australia adds weight to earlier European research that found no correlation between men’s ages and their…
Studies slam DIY genetic tests
The direct-to-consumer genetic tests offered by deCODEme and 23andMe give inaccurate predictions of disease risks and regulatory authorities should consider…
Twin-study findings conflict with sex ed dogma
Current sex education curricula recommend abstinence as a way of reducing sexual risk-taking, but a new study appearing inPsychological Science…
High incidence of placebo use in psychiatry
Doctors may not like talking about it, but it’s becoming much more prevalent. A recent McGill University survey found that…
“Bad” cholesterol not so evil
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) – popularly known as bad cholesterol – turns out to be critical for building muscle mass, and…
Mirror neuron development reversed in autistic brain
The brain’s mirror neuron system enables us to better understand and anticipate the actions of others, leading researchers to posit…
“Hazardous” drinking levels good for the heart
A controversial new study from Boston University shows that alcohol appears to have cardio-protective effects not only in moderate drinkers,…
Drink to remember (subconsciously, at least)
According to researcher Hitoshi Morikawa, repeated ethanol exposure enhances synaptic plasticity in the brain, providing further evidence toward an emerging…
Obesity and infertility linked across generations
The hormonal changes which are triggered by obesity can “program” the reproductive systems of the female offspring of obese women…
Novel psychiatric drugs aimed at gut bacteria
Communication between the bacteria in our gut and our brain plays an important role in the development of psychiatric illness,…